Computer processors have been used in vehicles for years for specific individual functions such as for controlling anti-lock braking and climate control systems. As processor use in vehicles has evolved, processors have been proliferating across many different vehicle features and systems, including fuel adjustment, drive-by-wire, and so forth. In fact, single processors are now used for multiple functions and are often coupled to automotive vehicle buses. Hence, each vehicle now typically has one or more buses across which vehicle data is propagated.
This vehicle data may include speed, fuel level, location, and other data that is directly related to driving and/or motoring. This vehicle data may also include climate control settings, musical selections, which owner or other family member is driving, seat adjustment positions and other data that is primarily related to entertainment and/or comfort. In addition to typical in-vehicle use, this vehicle data may also be used beneficially outside the vehicle. For example, vehicle speed can be considered to indicate whether information regarding upcoming available roadside services should be delivered to a driver half a mile in advance or two miles in advance.
A module interface may be designed and installed in the vehicle at the time of manufacturing that provides certain vehicle data from the one or more vehicle buses to external entities in prescribed forms and/or at pre-set times. Each of these module interfaces are only capable of providing vehicle data in the form, at the times, and to the extent that is pre-established by the manufacturer. This limits the availability of such vehicle data to entities that are external to the vehicle.
Furthermore, automotive manufacturers tend to design and install proprietary systems and individual components for each make and model. Consequently, any such module interface is specialized and therefore that much more inflexible. These two factors separately and jointly constrain the types of services and/or communications that may be effectuated with respect to the vehicle and to the occupants thereof because access to vehicle data is inherently limited.
Accordingly, there is a need for schemes and/or techniques for exposing multiple types of vehicle data from diverse automotive vehicle buses to external entities so that tailored services may be provided to vehicles and occupants thereof.